Free Zones

twofour54: Company Setup & Accounting Guide

2026-01-13 · 4 min read · By Aureus Worldwide

twofour54 is Abu Dhabi's media and creative free zone, built to support film, television, content, gaming, advertising and digital-media businesses. It anchors the emirate's growing media industry with studios, production infrastructure and a creative community, and is closely associated with Abu Dhabi's push to attract international productions. This guide explains how a twofour54 company setup works, the activities it supports, the steps, and the accounting and tax obligations that follow.

Why choose twofour54

twofour54's main draw is its media ecosystem in Abu Dhabi: a cluster of production companies, studios, broadcasters and creative talent, supported by the emirate's investment in film and content. Like other free zones it offers 100% foreign ownership, profit repatriation and a single-authority process. It suits media and creative businesses that want production capacity and to be part of Abu Dhabi's media community rather than those purely seeking the lowest cost.

Who it suits

twofour54 is a strong fit for:

• Film and television production companies
• Content, digital-media and gaming businesses
• Advertising, marketing and post-production firms
• Broadcasters and streaming services
• Freelancers and creatives forming a company

Licence and activities

twofour54 issues licences focused on media and creative services tied to defined activity lists.

Confirm the current activity list and any sector approvals with the free zone authority.

Facilities and ecosystem

twofour54 typically offers studios, offices, co-working and production facilities within a media campus, alongside training, events and access to crew and creative talent. Abu Dhabi is associated with production incentives for qualifying projects, but terms change, so confirm any current incentive schemes and facilities with the authority.

Setup steps

1. Choose your activity and licence type.
2. Reserve a compliant company name.
3. Select your structure and shareholders (full foreign ownership permitted).
4. Choose premises, studio, office or co-working.
5. Submit documents and receive approval and the trade licence.
6. Process establishment card and visas.
7. Open a corporate bank account, see our bank account guide.

Our company formation team can run this end to end.

Accounting, audit and tax considerations

A twofour54 company has the same UAE-wide obligations as any other entity:

• Bookkeeping. Production businesses should track project budgets, work-in-progress and any incentive or grant income carefully, see our accounting service.
• Audit. Free zones commonly expect audited financial statements at renewal; our audit team arranges this through licensed partner firms.
• Corporate Tax. Register and file federally. A QFZP may access 0% on qualifying income with substance and within the de minimis limits; otherwise 9% applies above AED 375,000. See our tax service.
• VAT. Register at the threshold; production services, rights and cross-border supplies each have specific treatment.

Setup timeline and costs

A twofour54 setup is usually measured in days to a few weeks once documents are complete, with timing influenced by premises selection, studio and production space adds lead time over a co-working desk. Costs depend on the licence type, the premises, the number of visas and your activities, and the zone revises its terms periodically. Confirm current fees, packages and any production-incentive terms directly with the free zone authority rather than relying on third-party figures, and size the commitment to a realistic project and team plan.

Staying compliant after setup

A twofour54 licence is renewed annually, and obligations continue between renewals. Diarise the renewal date and prepare early so visas and banking are not disrupted. Production businesses should keep project budgets, work-in-progress and any incentive or grant records current throughout the year, alongside Corporate Tax registration and any VAT filings, taking care with production services, rights and cross-border supplies. Reviewing your premises and visa allocation before each renewal keeps a production company aligned across its slate of projects.

twofour54 at a glance

twofour54 versus Dubai Media City

twofour54 is Abu Dhabi's media zone with a strong film and production focus, while Dubai Media City is the larger, established media cluster in Dubai. Choose based on location, production needs and which ecosystem fits. For a broader framework, see choosing the right UAE free zone.

How Aureus Worldwide helps

Aureus Worldwide helps media founders set up in twofour54 end to end, selecting the right licence, premises and visas through our company formation team. We then keep you compliant with accounting, Corporate Tax and VAT, and arrange audit through licensed partners. We confirm changeable packages and any incentive terms with the authority before you commit. To set up in twofour54, contact us.

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